India has reportedly lodged a counterclaim that Australia's Brad Hogg used abusive language during the second Test, as the tourists continue to reel from Harbhajan Singh's three-match ban for racially abusing Andrew Symonds.

A robot designed to look like a baby harp seal has received high marks at welfare facilities for the elderly and children in more than 20 countries due to its therapeutic effects, Japanese researchers say.

Former Labor minister John Bowler says the Liberal Party made a major error in dumping Matt Birney as leader, as his old party considered him the man most likely to lead the Liberals to an election victory.